Is that a zanpaktou in your pocket?
by I am the Goose girl
Summary: Sequel to "I like my men blonde and pierced".  Reiko's in Soul Society without her memories and her powers.  Will she be able to get them back, or will she simply have to rebuld?
1. Chapter 1: For everything a reason

Chapter 1: For everything a Reason

A year and a half; that was how long I'd been in soul society. It felt longer. That's what it felt like for most people around here. In Rukongai. I lived on the outskirts of district 68. Not the best, not the worst. At least, I'd managed to put together a decent home. I wasn't alone, though. I had a little boy living with me. He was new to Rukongai, only been here six months. He couldn't have been more than 8. He worries me to death. He wanders off for days on end and never tells me where he's going. A lot of the local boys make fun of him. Silver hair and closed eyes. I found him when some boys were throwing rocks at him. So, I had to give them a beat down. Gin and I had been together ever since.

I was inside the house cooking. I was so hungry I couldn't stand it. I heard a shout from ouside.

"Hey, Ma! I got some bread!" Gin said, running inside.

"Good job, sweetheart. Now, go wash up," I said. He left and came back a minute later.

We sat down and started to eat. Gin was unusually quiet. Normally, he'd talk and talk and talk. But tonight, he'd hardly said anything.

"Are you okay? You're awfully quiet tonight. Were those boys picking on you again?"

He shook his head. "It's not that. I haven't seen them in months." He bit his lip, then opened his eyes and looked at me. "I know why we've been so hungry lately."

"We have tape worms?"

He let out a sigh and smiled. "No. We have spiritual energy. I was stealing bread from the 66th district and I heard someone talking about it."

Interesting. Shinigami have spiritual energy. And if you got that, you apply to shinigami school. Becoming a shinigami would definitely improve our lot in life.

"What do you want to do, sweetheart? Do you want to become a shinigami?"

He thought for a minute before nodding. "I do. I'm tired of seeing you struggle to support the both of us. If we go to the school, we can eat as much as we want."

I smiled. "I'll be fine. Now, let's get you to bed. Growing boys need rest."

He nodded and jumped out of his chair. He ran to his little cot and burrowed under the covers. I tucked the covers around him.

"Ma, will sing to me?"

"Of course."

And so they say, lord, for everything a reason

For every ending, a new beginning

Oh so they say, baby, for everything a reason

And so they say, baby, for everything a reason

And those who loved before will be brought back together

Yeah, those who loved before will be brought back together

And so they say, baby, for everything a reason

And so they say, baby, you will be brought

Brought back to me

I saw you leaving, I saw the light go out

I saw you leaving

I saw you leaving

And so they say, lord, for everything a reason

My house is haunted by wrong desire

And on my skin left the scent of indignation

And so they say, baby, for everything a reason

Don't call me back, I had everything I needed

For every lie, honey, the truth lay underneath it

And so they say, baby, for everything a reason

And so they say, baby, you will be brought

Brought back to me

I saw you leaving, I saw the light go out

I saw you leaving

I saw you leaving

Come back to me

Gin had fallen asleep by this point. I kissed his forehead and crawled into my own bed. Sleep took me quickly.

*Dream*

I was lying on my back in a bed that wasn't mine, staring at the ceiling. Something was tickling my left foot. I wiggled it and tried to pull it back. A hand grabbed my ankle. I leaned up onto my elbows.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

It was a man. I'd seen him before in my dreams, but I never knew his name. "What do you think?" he said, cutting sharp, hazel eyes up to me. He went back to kissing the inside of my ankle, but didn't take his eyes off me.

He was thin with chin length, blonde hair. I knew him, otherwise he wouldn't be kissing his way up my calf.

"Mashiro wants you to go shopping with her tomorrow," he said when he reached my knee.

Unbidden, I replied. "I'll be sure to take her to Urahara's for candy. That should drive Kensei into a froth."

He smiled into my inner thigh. "You are such an instigator." He softly bit into the flesh and trailed that wonderful tongue and its ring the rest of the way to my panties. Just as he was pulling the leg to the side, there was a crash on the door.

I heard a girl scream. "Shinji!"

He sighed, then pulled himself up so we were face to face and kissed me softly. He pulled back and said, "I hate being in charge." He got off the bed and started to the door.

"No, you don't. You like bossing people around," I said.

He turned and smiled. "Only with you."

My face turned red and he left smirking.

*Dream end*

I came to in my bed across from Gin. It was morning now. If we were going to do this, it was now or never. And we had a long way to walk. I got Gin up and we packed what little we had. It was mainly just the clothes on our backs. I held Gin's hand as I left the place that had been my home for more years than I could remember.

It took four days to reach the first district and find the school. There were so many people. People who were younger than Gin to people who looked like they should've died already. These people were all here to register for school. We found the registration and the man behind it didn't even look up.

"Names?" he asked. He sounded completely bored. Of course, he'd probably been doing this since seven o'clock in the morning.

"Takahashi Reiko and Gin," I said. Gin didn't know his family name, so I gave him mine. He was as good as my kid, anyway. He did call me 'ma'.

The man handed us our paperwork and motioned us to the right to housing. We would be sharing, as always. We were given our room number, then sent to the right again to receive our uniforms. I took our clothes, and Gin and I went to our room to settle in. Gin was out as soon as he hit his bed. To be fair, it had been a long journey and he was a little kid.

I stayed up for a while thinking about the blonde man from my dreams. No, memories. I had a feeling that's what they really were. Shinji; that's what the girl had called him. Had he been my husband or boyfriend before I died? He must've been. I shook my head. Well, whatever he was, it was over now. I wasn't likely to see him again. I slept and waited for orientation in the morning.

I got Gin up in the morning and went to orientation. We were standing in the square when a man dressed in black entered. He had a bald head with a giant x-shaped scar on his head and a long white beard. I heard a whisper of "Soutaichou". He must've been the leader of the Shinigami. He greeted us and launched into the history of the school, which he'd started over a thousand years ago. A thousand years? How old was this guy? After he was done, all the students were sent to their classes based on our spiritual abilities. Apparently, that's what those bored looking people at registration were for. Not only did they write down our names, but they noted how gifted we were. Gin and I were in the same class. I may have been older, but we were at the same level.

The days seemed to go by in a blur and before I knew it, we'd been there a month. It was going to be a special day. A captain was coming to the school and everyone was buzzing about it. No one knew which squad; all the numbers were being tossed around. Gin and I gathered with the other students outside of the school.

Then, he showed and I felt all the blood drain from my face. I knew him. The serious look on his face. The sharp eyes. The only thing different about him was his slanted bangs. The man of my dreams was in Soul Society. And not only that, he was my superior. As I was about to move backwards in the crowd, he saw me. He paused for a minute and his eyes went wide, face paling three shades. His lieutenant, a tiny, dark haired girl said something and he shook his head before continuing on. The group dispersed after he'd made his way through. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Gin came after me.

"Ma, what's wrong?"

I smiled. "I'm fine. I just saw someone I thought I knew. Why don't you go hang out with your friends. I'll be fine."

He opened his eyes, frowning. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Go on. Enjoy the day."

He looked skeptical, but did as I said. I turned and started back to the dorms.

"Rei."

I stopped dead. Only one person ever called me that. I turned and looked at him.

"Are you always so informal, Taichou? Shouldn't you be addressing me as 'Takahashi-san'?"

"As a Taichou, I can address you however I want."

"How rude."

"You know it."

"I don't, actually. I may known you then, but I don't know you now."

"I saw the recognition."

"I saw you in a dream about a month ago. Your name is Shinji and that's all I know, Taichou."

"You were like this, even then. It took me a while to get you to say my name, but I did. And I will again."

"What makes you so sure?"

"When it comes to you, I'm always sure."

"You don't know me."

He smirked. "You're not that hard to figure out."

"So, I've always done things you expect?"

"No, not always. Today, for example. How long have you known, Gin?"

I gave him a suspicious look. "About a year. I'm his adoptive mother."

He started laughing. "Really? The man who killed you in your last life is now your son?"

"Yes," I said and turned to leave.

Strangely, I wasn't mad about Gin killing me. Who he was then, wasn't who he was now. I was more mad at Taichou laughing at the idea that I had adopted. Then, he was in front of me.

"I wasn't done talking to you."

"Well, I'm done talking to you if all you're going to do is laugh at my lifestyle choices."

He was about to say something when the dark haired girl came running around the corner. She looked mad.

"Hirako-Taichou!"

He winced. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, Momo-chan."

She crossed her arms. "Not likely. If I don't make you, you'll be too lazy to go!"

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. " 'Lewd child'? That's your name?"

He gave me a dirty look. "Be quiet or you'll get punished."

"You can't punish me. I'm still a student."

"And if you don't cut it out, I'll make sure you never graduate."

I widened my eyes in mock fear. He turned and started over to Momo.

"See ya around, Rei!"

"It's Takahashi-san! Don't be so informal!"

My only answer was him laughing. Damn him!

Author's note: Chapter 1 done! Review and let me know what you think! :D


	2. Chapter 2: Enchanted

Chapter 2: Enchanted

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you know

This night is flawless, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

"Ma, can I go eat with Yuina?" Gin asked. I looked over at him. He was blushing. I smiled.

"Awww! That is so cute! You want to go on your first date!"

"It's not a date! She's a girl who's a friend and we both happen to like dango."

"Yeah, you're right. You're too young to date, anyway. Alright, you can go on your non-date with Yuina, but I want you back by eight or you'll be grounded for the rest of your life."

He gave me a kiss on my cheek before darting out of the room. I went to the door and watched him go over to Yuina. Yuina was about seven with bright red hair that came to her shoulders and wide brown eyes. Gin grabbed her hand and led her off. I smiled. They'd be cute when they grew up.

I was about to close the door when Momo appeared in front of me.

"Hi, Takahashi-san!"

"Hello, Hinamori-Fukutaichou. What can I do for you?"

"You need to fix Taichou."

"Fix him?"

"He's been wandering around the office moaning 'Rei-chan doesn't like me'".

Why did that sound familiar. "Oh, for heaven's sake! Is he always this much of a drama queen?"

"Only when Hiyori-san is around. But only because she punches him in the face or uses him as a body shield. She seems to do that on reflex."

I sighed and followed her to Taichou's office. As we neared the office, he came flying out the door, landing on his back, as a tiny red, white and blonde blur followed and proceeded to stomp his head into the ground. She was screaming at him.

"Stop moping, konohage! Get her back if you need to so much!"

"Wow, you must be half-monkey," I said.

Both of their heads snapped over to look at me and Hiyori launched herself at me, feet first. I caught her foot and held her upside down. I wasn't smiling.

"Listen here, you little demon-monkey. Just because taichou lets you beat the snot out of him doesn't mean I will."

"I'm stronger than you, idiot!"

"I don't care!"

I let her down and she glared at me for a minute. "It's good to have you back, Reiko-san."

Then she walked over to Taichou and head-butted him before leaving. I walked over to Taichou and bent over him.

"You are disrupting your Fukutaichou's peace of mind. Were you like this when I was alive. Because if you were I imagine I would've needed a lot of alcohol."

"I was but you didn't," he said.

"Are you gonna ask me out or what? This sort of behavior makes me wonder about your mental health."

He blinked at me. "Will you go out with me?"

"Yes. Pick me up tonight at 8." I got up and walked off. There wasn't really anything else to say at that point.

Gin got home at 7:45 like the good kid he was. I was already ready for my date with Hirako; I might as well start calling him that since we were officially dating, though I can admit that part of me thought calling him 'Taichou' was kind of sexy. He too was on time. The jury was still out on whether or not he was capable of being good. He had foregone the usual shihakushou and haori to wear black slack, a blue button down shirt and a black tie. I was wearing a navy blue yukata with yellow flowers on it.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I looked up.

"Oh, you mean you didn't already have a place in mind? I figured since you already picked the date and time for us to go out."

"It's not too late for me to stand you up."

"Local bar," he said, taking my hand.

We got there, but looking at the place I didn't know whether to trust Hirako's judgment. Getting stabbed in this place looked like a real possibility. I followed him inside anyway.

We sat a table and he ordered a bottle of sake and pot stickers. I eyed the bottle warily and took a pot sticker.

"You're not gonna take a shot?" he asked.

"No. I don't drink; my alcohol tolerance is really low. Besides, how can I trust you not to take advantage of me if I'm drunk?"

He smirked. "You can't."

"Then I'm right in not drinking," I said as a blush burned my face.

"You look good in red," he said.

My blush intensified and I looked away. I couldn't look at him when he was looking at me like I didn't have anything on.

"Are you even allowed to date a student?" I looked at him.

He shrugged. "I'm a captain. I can do what I want."

"Anything you want?"

"Within reason."

"That doesn't sound promising."

"I can promise a lot of things."

"But can you keep them?"

"I can do my best, but I don't make any guarantees."

Then he stood and grabbed my hand, pulling me with him. He laid some money on the table and we left. He took me to the edge of town and had me look up at the sky. It was a black-purple and full of stars. He wrapped his arms around my waist and placed his chin on my shoulder.

"How long have you been in Soul Society?"

"A year and a half; how long have you looked for me?"

"Since the day you died. But a year and a half is nothing here. Decades can pass in the blink of an eye. But a year and a half without you has felt like…"

"Milleniums?"

"Yes."

"I dreamed about you. No, not dreams; memories. We were happy."

"We still can be. And know, that no matter how many lives we may live, I'll always find you."

"You should know that I come with a packaged deal. Me and Gin."

"I know and I'll try. I'll try to remember that he's a kid. That he's not who he was."

"Good. Then we're starting off on the right foot."

He sighed. "As much as I hate to, I need to get you home."

"Hate to?"

He leered at me.

"Your ego is astounding. That was never going to happen tonight."

He shrugged. "You can't blame a man for hoping."

"Yes, I can."

He managed to act like a gentleman on the way home and left me with a simple kiss on the forehead before leaving. I smiled and walked inside. Gin was sprawled out on his bed, drooling slightly. I walked over to him and cleaned his chin before pulling the blanket over him. Goofy. I settle in to my own bed feeling wonderful.


	3. Chapter 3: One Girl revolution

Chapter 3: One girl revolution

The target burst into flames and I let out a yell of joy. It was kido class and I was doing really well. I mean, I did well in all my classes, but kido was my favorite. There was something about being able to start fires from a distance that I loved. Should I be worried about that? Nah. Things were going really well lately. Gin was thriving in class. I was seeing Shinji more and the days were looking beautiful.

"Good job, Takahashi-san! There might be a future for you in the kido corps," Sensei said. I was beaming and nothing could get me down.

"Bitch. She's only doing so well because she's fucking the Taichou from the Fifth."

My left eye twitched and my head snapped to the right. Kyoko and her tacky red hair.

"Shut the fuck up, Kyoko! You're just pissed because you can't hit the broad side of a barn," I said. I squinted my eyes like I was getting a psychic vision. "I see… an unseated position your whole Shinigami career."

She sneered. "I might apply to the Fifth. It seems easy enough to get in."

"Oh, it's easy. Easy to get your ass kicked by the Taichou! Don't let the laid back attitude fool you. Hirako-Taichou drives his suboordinates hard."

"You would know."

"That's how I like it."

She turned red and finally shut up.

I knew I shouldn't rise to her bait, but I hate it when people make assumptions. Shinji and I hadn't even kissed and she was saying that I was sleeping with him. I wanted to bitch slap her. Class let out and Gin and I headed to get something to eat. Gin asked if Yuina could join us. I said okay and we went to get her. Yuina was cute as a button. Her bento box had pandas on it. She dove in and shared her rice balls with Gin. I felt a cold chill run up my back and turned to see Kyoko glaring at me. Whatever, bitch. I felt someone tap my shoulder and turned back around. Gin was giving me a worried look.

"Are you okay, Ma?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just pest control from this morning."

He looked behind me. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about her. She's nasty, ain't she?"

Yuina nodded. "She was playing a game with Onda-Sensei yesterday. I don't know what it was called but she had her head in his lap and was moving it up and down. She yelled at me when I asked her what she was doing." I was so red and Gin was curiously confused.

"Hey, maybe we can do that sometime," he said to her.

"No! Dear lord, no! That isn't a kid's game. In fact, I forbid the both of you from doing that until you're at least 100," I said.

"Why? Is it a bad game?" Yuina asked.

"Yeah, Rei, is it a bad game?" I heard a familiar voice behind me. Why did he always have to show up during moments like this?

"Shut up, Taichou. No, kids, it isn't a bad game. It's just something more for grown ups. Not that I've ever done it,"Shinji snorted, "in this life."

"Why?" asked Gin.

"I haven't met anyone I like that much."

"What about me?" Shinji asked.

I looked at the kids. "Like I said."

"Well, if we can't play that, can we play hide and seek later?" Gin asked.

"Yes, later. Right now, we have a history class to go to and if you fall asleep again, I'm smacking the back of your head." Gin pouted. I got up and turned to Shinji. "Behave yourself."

"Except when I'm with you." He gave me a knowing smile.

"Don't act like you know what's under my uniform."

"Oh, but I do. And it's just a matter of time before I see it again, beautiful. I'll see you tonight." I nodded and leaned up giving him a kiss on the cheek. I heard Kyoko cough out 'tramp'. There was a dark look on Shinji's face.

"Ignore her. She's just upset that I'm a better student than she is. I'll see you later." I left.

I sat through an hour and a half of history. Unfortunately, Gin wasn't the one who fell asleep. He kicked me because I was starting to snore. I thought I was too old for detention, but I was wrong. I had to clean the whole room after class. It was so big, it took me three hours. At that point, it was six. I walked into the hall and saw Shinji talking to the red-haired she-beast. A fire ball formed in my hand.

"I'll fry you, skank!" I said and let loose.

Shinji shoved her to the side before it could hit her head; mores the pity. Shinji shunpo'd behind me and threw me over his shoulder before I could take aim again.

"Sorry to disappoint you, red, but the only person I want doing that to me is trying to kill you," he said and took off.

We got to his office and he set me down. I tried to regain my balance and not puke. He gently guided me inside and I sat down.

"What was that all about?" he asked. He didn't look happy.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Seriously? You don't know why you threw a fire ball at someone's head."

"I don't like her."

"You don't like her? That's it?"

"I don't like her and she's a dirty whore."

He sat there for a minute. Then, a shit-eating grin broke out on his face. "You're jealous."

I felt my eye twitch. "I most certainly am not."

"Yes, you are. You're afraid she's gonna sink her man-eating hooks into me and drag me away."

"I am not jealous. Though, now that I think about it, you weren't exactly trying to fight her off with a stick."

"Come over here."

I stood up and went to the other side of the desk. I seemed to be a pushover where he was concerned. I wonder if I was like this when I was alive. He pulled me into his lap and leaned back in his chair, tucking me against his side.

"I am not, nor will I ever be, interested in any female other than you."

"How do you know?"

He sighed. "Woman, I waited centuries for you. When I finally found you, I only had you a few months before you died. Then, I don't find you again for almost a year and a half. It was like…" he seemed to be searching.

"Part of you was missing?"

He smiled. "Yeah. You came along and everything clicked into place. I existed before you, but that's all I did. Exist. You made me alive."

It was the sweetest thing I could remember hearing. And I knew what he meant. Since I'd been in Soul Society, I'd felt like I was walking in a fog and barely breathing. I'd had Gin, but it wasn't the same. I reached up and placed my had along his neck, trailing down to the tie. I started to gently pull him to me.

"This seems familiar," I said quietly.

"It is," he said.

The first kiss was so light I barely felt it, almost like a breeze. I pulled back for second, then surged forward like the tide. I pressed my lips to his and shifted forward so I was straddling his hips. I nipped at his bottom lip, then ran my tongue over it. He moaned and wrapped his left arm around my waist, pulling me to him. He fisted his right hand in my hair and slipped the tip of his tongue into my mouth, running it along the roof. I broke from his lips and kissed my way down his jaw. I pulled at his collar and found that spot between his neck and shoulder and bit down, sucking on the spot. He growled, tightening his arm around my waist and grinding me down. I felt a wonderful tingling and threw my head back, moaning. He stood, taking me with him and set me on the edge of his desk. He started kissing and biting his way down my neck, while slowly undoing my top.

I knew I should be stopping him, it was a little soon, but the way he was touching me made my brain turn to mush. I didn't have to stop him, though. There was a knock at the door.

"Taichou?" It was Hinamori-Fukutaichou.

"Go away, Momo!" He said.

"I can't! You have a meeting in ten minutes!"

"Well, come back in five!"

"No! The last time that happened, we were twenty minutes late!"

"Ugh! Fine, I'll be out in a minute!" He sighed and muttered, "Fucking cockblock."

I hopped off the desk and started to redo my top.

"Where are you going?" He asked, sounding surprised.

"Back to my dorm to study."

"Why?"

"I know it's been eons since you had to be there, but there's this place called Shinigami school. The people who go there hope to one day be productive members of the Gotei 13 instead of just passing their paper work off onto other people."

He made a face. "You make it sound like I do it on a regular basis. And eons? If I'm eons, then you're a fetus."

"Compared to you, I am."

"You make it sound so dirty."

"You'll get over it."

He pouted as we walked to the door. I opened the door to Momo's smiling face.

"Good Evening, Takahashi-san! Did I interrupt something?"

"Of course," Shinji said.

"But that's okay. I've got other stuff to do anyway." I said.

"Hey! You don't to sound so damn happy about it!"

"Oh, calm down! It's not like you won't see me later."

"Are we still going out tonight?"

"Yes. And I expect you to treat me like a lady."

He grinned. "A lady in street, but a -"

"You finish that sentence and you're never touching me again." I stood on my toes and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Enjoy your bureaucratic rangling."

"Yeah. Like I would enjoy getting my teeth pulled with pliers."

"I'll see you later."

"Bye."

We went to our destinations. I got to my room and saw Gin and Yuina playing Go. Gin was letting her win. I had a feeling this wasn't the first time. They were adorable now and it was just going to get cuter as they got older. He'd probably let her get away with murder. To bad Shinji wouldn't let me do the same. He really should; there'd be a lot less fighting. Love as a child seemed a lot less complicated than it was as an adult.


End file.
